Jurnal Forensik Kita

8/12/2019 Jurnal Forensik Kita

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J Indian A cad Forensic Med. Apri l -Jun e 2013, Vol. 35, No. 2 ISSN 0971-0973

145

Original Research Paper

Determination of Sex by Shape and Size of Hyoid Bone

*Deepak Herald DSouza, **Jayaramaiah Kiran, ***Setty Sathyanarayana Harish

AbstractIdentification is the task that an investigator does when an unknown dead body is found with an

allegation of crime. Identification is often a difficult task in many of the criminal cases due todecomposition by the time the dead body has been noticed. The present study was conducted to knowthe relationship of the sex with the shape and size of the hyoid bone. Excised hyoid bones from 81 maleand 49 female dead bodies were studied from a South Indian population. Results showed that hyoidbones were highly polymorphic in size and shape across the ages in both sexes. However V shapedhyoid bone was more common compared to U shaped hyoid bone in adult males. The Length and thewidth of the hyoid bone were larger in males compared to females. The study of hyoid bone will beinadequate in sex determination and needs to be considered along with the measurements of other bonesof the same individual for more accuracy.

Key Words: Hyoid bone, Shape, Size, Greater horn, Sex, Identification

Introduction:Identification assumes great significance

in criminal investigations. Determining the ageand sex of the individual are the most essentialdata in establishing the identity of unknownskeletal remains. Studies have been done onestablishing the sex from femur, sternum,clavicle, radius, ulna, scapula and others. [1-6]Determining sex from hyoid bone has not beenreported from South India.

The present study was conducted to

know the relationship of the sex with the shapeand size of the hyoid bone.

Materials and Methods:The prospective study was conducted

on 130 cases, that were selected by simplerandom sampling and details such as sex werenoted. In each case hyoid bone was carefullydissected from the neck structures.Observations of the hyoid bone like size, shapewere noted with the help of sliding calipers andscrew gaze. (Fig. 1)1. Width of hyoid (BC): maximum distance

between the greater horns;

Corresponding Author:*Associate Professor,Department of Forensic Medicine & ToxicologyYenepoya Medical College, Yenepoya University,Mangalore, Karnataka-575018E-mail: [email protected]**Prof & HOD, Sri Devraj Urs Medical College,

Kolar, Karnataka***Prof, M. S. Ramaiah Medical College,Bangalore, KarnatakaDOR: 25.4.13 DOA: 26.4.13

2. Length (AP): distance from the anteriormiddle of the body of hyoid to the point lyingmid-way between the tips of the greaterhorns;

3. Thickness of the greater horns:minimumdiameter at the junction of posterior onethird and the anterior two thirds

The hyoid bone was viewed as tobelong to either of the two shapes.

V(Parabolic) Shape of the hyoid bone,where the width was greater than the length

U (Hyperbolic) Shape of the hyoid bone,where the width was equal or less than thelength.

Data was designed on a master chartand analysed statistically using SPSS version15. T-test, fishersexact test and chi-square testwere used to find statistical significance. P


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In males, 56% had V shaped hyoidbones and 44 % had U shaped hyoid bones. Infemales, 45% had V shaped hyoid bones and 55% had U shaped hyoid bones. Associationbetween shape and sex was not significantstatistically as per fishers exact test. (Table 2)

Present study showed that Hyoid bones

were highly polymorphic in size across the agesin both sexes. Their Length ranged between 3Cms and 4.5 Cms. Their width ranged between3 Cms and 5.5 Cms. The smallest hyoid bonebelonged to a male victim aged 4 years and itwas measuring 3 x 3 Cms. In victims aged 12 ormore, 3 Cms was the least measure noted inlength and 3.5 Cms was the least measurenoted in width of the bones. (Table 3)

The average antero-posterior length ofhyoid bone was 3.93 Cms and average widthwas 4.37 Cms in males above 20 years.Average stature of these males was 167 Cms

while the average antero-posterior length ofhyoid bone was 3.55 Cms and average widthwas 3.84 Cms in females above 20 years.Average stature of these females was 160 Cms.On comparing the dimensions in sexes, theaverage length and the average width of thehyoid bone was larger in males by 0.38 Cms and0.53 Cms respectively.

In our study 17.7% of the cases showedgreater horns measuring less than 2 mm inthickness. 10% of the cases had Hyoid boneswith bilaterally thin greater horns and 7.7% ofthe cases had unilaterally thin greater horns.

Thin left greater horn was more commonly foundthan thin right greater horn. 22.4% of theFemales and 14.8% of the males had thingreater horns. (Table 4)

The victim aged 4 years had bothgreater horns thinner than 2mm in thickness.Thin greater horns were reported from almost allage groups without any particular trend beyond12 years of age. In Females aged 21-30 years,26.3% of them were having bilaterally thingreater horns and 10.6% were havingunilaterally thin greater horns. (Fig. 2)

Discussion:

Identification is the task that aninvestigator does when an unknown dead bodyis found with an allegation of crime. Identificationis often a difficult task in many of the criminalcases due to the onset of decomposition by thetime the dead body has been noticed. Becauseof the inability for facial recognition and the lossof soft tissues in a putrefied body, sexdetermination will have to be done with skeletalremains. Age is an important characteristic thathelps in identification which has been

researched and published from the same set ofhyoid bones. [7]

Identification of sex is a very importantopinion for establishing a partial identity ofskeletal remains. Accuracy rate in Identificationthe sex from an entire skeleton is highest whencompared to the accuracy rate from individual

bones. However, there are situations when theexperts have to opine about the sex from a boneor a small set of bones.

The anthropometric measurements ofthe hyoid in the present series (South India)were comparable with those of a French,Croatian and North Indian studies. [8-11] It isdoubtful whether a gross examination of hyoidbone will help us in differentiating populations.The shape and size of the hyoid bone varieswith the sex and hence they could be regardedas sex indicators. [10-14] Identification of sexfrom the hyoid bone is possible as per previous

studies. [9, 15] The present study, althoughfound a supporting trend, did not find anysignificant association.

There have been few studies that arebased on indirect and sophisticated/radiologicalmeasurements of the size of the bones. [13]

Most of the criminal investigationscenarios are going to give an opportunity fordirect measurement of the bone. Commentingon the shape of the bone should best be doneby direct examination of the bone after itsdissection during autopsy as in this presentstudy because it will be practical, accurate and

reliable. Majority of the males in this study had Vshaped hyoid bones. Majority of the females inthis study had U shaped hyoid bones. Both thetypes of bones could be found in any sex andthis was matching with earlier reports. [14, 16]

Length, width and the thickness of theGreater horn of the hyoid bone were more inmales when compared to females. All theprevious reports are unanimous on this. [9-16]this greater size in males is a common featureobserved in other bones as well.

The vulnerability of hyoid bone tofracture is better decided by incidencescalculated from hanging deaths compared tostrangulation deaths which are highly variable interms such as force acting on the bone.

Incidence of fracture of hyoid bone inhanging is variable as per studies. [17] ThePresent study reports an incidence of thingreater horns as 17.7%, which closely matcheswith the average of incidence of fracture of thehyoid bone from the previous studies. Di Maio[18], Feigin [19], Nikolic et al [20] have found leftgreater horn fractured in more number of casescompared to the right greater horn. The present


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study is matching with earlier reports whichfound higher vulnerability on the left side.

Female victims showed higher incidenceof fracture compared to the male victims. [19,21] Miller et al [14] found that the female hyoidshad relatively long thin distal segments. Strengthof the hyoid bone is less in females. [22] The

present study found females to have higherincidence of thin greater horns compared tomales and it is matching with reports whichfound higher vulnerability to fracture in females.

It can be concluded that a grossexamination of a hyoid bone to know its shapeand size alone will not be useful in determinationof sex. However, if the shape and size of thehyoid bone is considered along with themeasurements of other bones of the sameindividual, sex determination could be done withmore accuracy.

References:1. Srivastava R, Saini V, Rai RK, Pandey S, Tripathi SK.A study of

sexual dimorphism in the femur among North Indians. J ForensicSci. 2012 Jan; 57(1):19-23.

2. Singh J, Pathak RK.Sex and age related non-metric variation ofthe human sternum in a Northwest Indian postmortem sample: Apilot study. Forensic Sci Int. 2013 May 10; 228(1-3):181.e1-181.e12.

3. Akhlaghi M, Moradi B, Hajibeygi M. Sex determination usinganthropometric dimensions of the clavicle in Iranian population. JForensic Leg Med. 2012 Oct; 19(7):381-5.

4. Akhlaghi M, Sheikhazadi A, Ebrahimnia A, Hedayati M,Nazparvar B, Saberi Anary SH. The value of radius bone inprediction of sex and height in the Iranian population. J ForensicLeg Med. 2012 May; 19(4):219-22.

5. Purkait R.Measurements of ulna--a new method for determinationof sex. J Forensic Sci. 2001 Jul; 46(4):924-7.

6. Dabbs G. Sex determination using the scapula in New Kingdomskeletons from Tell El-Amarna. Homo. 2010 Dec; 61(6):413-20.

7. D' Souza DH, Harish SS, Kiran J. Fusion in the hyoid bone:usefulness and implications. Med Sci Law. 2010 Oct; 50(4):197-9.

8. Lebreton-Chakour C, Godio-Raboutet Y, Torrents R,Chaumoitre K, Boval C, Bartoli C, Adalian P, Piercecchi-MartiMD, Thollon L. Manual strangulation: Experimental approach tothe genesis of hyoid bone fractures. Forensic Sci Int. 2013 May 10;228(1-3):47-51.

9. Mukhopadhyay PP.Determination of sex from an autopsy sampleof adult hyoid bones. Med Sci Law. 2012 Jul; 52(3):152-5.

10. Leksan I, Marciki M, Nikoli V, Radi R, Selthofer R.Morphological classification and sexual dimorphism of hyoid bone:new approach. Coll Antropol. 2005 Jun; 29(1):237-42.

11. Mukhopadhyay PP.Morphometric features and sexual dimorphismof adult hyoid bone: A population specific study with forensicimplications. J Forensic Leg Med. 2010; 17:3214.

12. Kim DI, Lee UY, Park DK, Kim YS, Han KH, Kim KH, Han SH.

Morphometrics of the hyoid bone for human sex determination fromdigital photographs. J. Forensic Sci. 2006; 51(5):979-84

13. Shimzu Y, Kanetaka H, Kim YH, Okayama K, Kano M. Agerelated morphological changes in human hyoid bone. Cells TissuesOrgans 2005; 180(3):18592.

14. Miller KWP, Walker PL, O Halloran RL. Age and Sex relatedvariation in hyoid bone morphology. Journal of Forensic Sciences1998; 43 (6):1138-1143.

15. Kindschuh SC, Dupras TL, Cowgill LW. Determination of sexfrom the hyoid bone. Am J Phys Anthropol. 2010 Oct;143(2):279-84.

16. Pollanen MS and Ubelaker DH. Forensic significance of thepolymorphism of hyoid bone shape. Journal of Forensic Sciences1997; 42 (5):890-892.

17. Uzun I, Buyuk Y, Gurpinar K. Suicidal hanging: Fatalities inIstanbul Retrospective analysis of 761 autopsy cases. J ForensicLeg Med. 2007; 14(7):406-9.

18. Di Maio VJM. Homicidal Asphyxia. Am J Forensic Med Pathology.2000; 21(1): 1-4.

19. Feigin G. Frequency of neck organ fractures in hanging. Am JForensic Med Pathology. 1999; 20(2): 128-30.

20. Nikolic S, Micic J, Atanasijevic T, Djokic V, Djonic D.Analysis ofNeck Injuries in Hanging. Am J Forensic Med Pathol. 2003;24(2):179-82.

21. Paparo GP, Siegel H. Neck markings and fractures in suicidalhangings. Forensic Sci Int. 1984; 24(1):27-35.

22. Leksan I, Nikoli V, Radi R, Ela TM, Dumen B, Popovi B, et al. Biomechanical and Forensic Characteristics of Hyoid Bone. Journalof Biomechanics. 2008; 41(S1): s384.

Table 1: Age and Sex Distribution of StudySubjectsAge (years) Males Females Total

4 1 0 1

12-20 12 15 27

2130 27 19 46

3140 22 8 30

4170 19 7 26

Total 81 49 130Table 2: V Shaped and U Shaped HyoidBones in Males and Females

Males Females

V shape 45 (56%) 22 (45%)

U shape 36 (44%) 27 (55%)

Total 81 (100%) 49 (100%)

Table 3: Size of Hyoid Bone in Both Sexeswith Advancing AgeAge Males Females

Averagelength SD

Averagewidth SD

Averagelength SD

Averagewidth SD

4 3.00 3.00 - -

12-20 3.830.25 4.120.53 3.500.38 3.900.39

2130 3.960.24 4.330.50 3.530.31 3.810.45

3140 3.860.38 4.480.52 3.690.26 3.880.354170 4.080.25 4.530.46 3.570.45 3.710.27

Table 4: Distribution of Thin Greater Horns inMales and Females

Thin Greater horns(%)

Males(n=81)

Females(n=49)

Both Sex(n=130)

Right 2.5 2 2.3

Left 4.9 6.1 5.4

Both 7.4 14.3 10

One or Both 14.8 22.4 17.7

Fig: 2: Incidence of Thin Greater Horns inDifferent Sex and Age Groups

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

M 12-20

F 12-20

M 21-30

F 21-30

M 31-40

F 31-40

M 41-70

F 41-70

Bilateral

Unilateral

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